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Why does my cat hit my dog?

If your cat has been hitting your dog a lot, this post will show you likely reasons why and what you can do about it.

So, why does my cat hit my dog? Likely reasons why your cat hits your dog are that it is fearful, it is playing or that it wants your dog to leave it alone.

There are a number of possible causes and the most likely cause will depend a lot on the context. However, there are some things you can consider to help figure out the main cause and there are some things you can do about it.

Why does my cat hit my dog?

Below are likely reasons why your cat hits your dog and what would make them more likely.

Fearfullness

The cause could be that your cat is fearful and it is hitting your dog as a way to try and defend itself. This would be more likely if your cat tends to do it more when your dog approaches your cat and pushes its face towards your cat and if your cat does other things such as hiss and scratch. In this case, it would help to separate them if possible and to give your cat another place that it can go where your dog cannot.

It is playing

It could be the case that your cat is playing. This would be more likely if your cat does it more when it has chosen to sit with your dog and if it also does things such as role around.

It wants your dog to leave it alone

Another possible cause is that your cat wants your dog to leave it alone. This would also be more likely if your cat tends to do it more when your dog has approached your cat and if your cat tries to move away.

Things to consider

Below are some things to consider to help figure out the main cause.

If your cat has always hit your dog

If your cat has not always hit your dog, it would help to consider what else happened when your cat first started doing it. For example, if your cat started doing it suddenly or since your dog was aggressive towards it, the cause would be more likely to be that your cat does not trust your dog anymore.

The timing of when your cat hits your dog

It would also help to consider the timing of when your cat hits your dog since the timing could have something to do with it. For example, if your cat does it when your dog approaches it, the cause would be more likely that your cat feels intimidated and that it wants your dog to leave it alone.

What to do about my cat hitting my dog?

Below are some options you have when dealing with the behavior.

Separate your cat and dog

It would likely help to separate your cat from your dog whenever your cat wants your dog to leave it alone.

Give your cat access to a different part of the house

If it does not already, it would also help to give your cat access to a different part of the house where it can be away from your dog or to let it stay in a higher up spot where your dog is unable to get to.

Why does my cat slap my dog?

If your cat slaps your dog and it also scratches, hisses and moves away, the cause would be more likely to be that your cat wants your dog to leave it alone. If it also does things such as roll around and does not scratch or hiss, it would be more likely that your cat is playing.

Why does my cat swat my dog?

The most likely reason why your cat swats at your dog is that it wants your dog to leave it alone. This would be especially likely if your cat also scratches, hisses and moves away.

How can I tell if my cat is playing with my dog?

If your cat does things such as roll around and it does not scratch, hiss or try to move away, it would be more likely that your cat is playing. However, it still might be the case that it is not, especially if it still extends its claws.

If you are not sure if your cat is playing with your dog, it would likely be best to assume that it is not and to give your cat a chance to be away from your dog.